Boat hoist apparatus



Sept- 13, 1966 G. P. LAMx-:R ETAL. 3,272,362

BOAT HOIST APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 2, 1964 l .Il

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. P. LAMER ETAL BOAT HoIsT APPARATUS Nwtml sept. 13,196e Filed Nov.

United States Patent O 3,272,362 BOAT HOIST APPARATUS Gerald P. Lamerand Elliott S. Burdick, Wausau, Wis., assignors to Drott ManufacturingCorporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Nov. 2,1964, Ser. No. 408,195 Claims. (Cl. 214-396) This invention relates toboat hoist apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for liftingand transporting boats and similar devices having relatively tall mastsor upwardly projecting structures.

Boats, as well as other types of loa-ds, have commonly been handled bydouble gantry type vehicles with the loads being picked up throughslings or the like by hoists carried by the gantries.

In handling sail boats, or similar devices having upwardly projectingmasts or similar structures, it has been necessary that the upper beammember of one of the gantries be so constructed that it can be opened sothat the mast can pass therethrough when the vehicle is being moved intoor out of position over the boat. It is also necessary that the openingbe securely closed during lifting and ttransporting of the boat orsimilar load to provide the requisite strength and rigidity in thegantry structure.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide the top beam for one of thegantries with supporting means through which it is slidable over one ofthe gantry columns with the beam being locked to the top of the othergantry column `during the lifting and transporting operation. Aconstruction of this type is more particularly described and claimed inthe patent to Stearn, Re. 25,081.

It is a primary object of the present invention to pro vide an improvedboat hoist apparatus of the double gantry type having a swinging gatestructure in the top beam of one of the gantries which is operableeasily from a remote point and which provides an extremely strong andrigid connection between the gantry columns when the gate is closed.

Another object is to provide a boat hoist apparatus in which the gateopening is provided by opposed gate members hinged for swinging movementin a horizontal plane from a closed aligned position to an open positionspaced from each other.

According to a feature of the invention, the gate members may be swungbetween open and closed positions by hydraulic cylinders acting throughcontrol linkages which are constructed to swing the gate members througha relatively wide angle and to stop them accurately in aligned position.

A further object is to provide a boat hoist apparatus in which the gatemembers are rigidly connected by a sleeve slidable one one of the gatemembers and telescoping over the end of the other gate member when theyare in aligned position to secure them rigidly together.

According to a feature of the invention the sleeve is moved by ahydraulic cylinder and is held in gate closing position by a mechanicallatch which may be released by a hydraulic cylinder controllable from aremote point.

According to another feature of the invention, the gantries are securedto the ends of side rails formed of telescopically intertting parts withone of the gantries supported on power driven wheels and the other onlockable wheels so that the spacing between the gantries can easily beadjusted.

3,272,362 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 ICC The above and other objects andfeatures of the invention will be more readily apparent from thefollowing description when read in connection with the accompanyingdraws, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a boat hoist apparatus embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a partial view showing the gate in open position;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view with parts in section showing theoperating linkage for the gate members; and

FIG. 4 is a partial section showing the latch for the gate lockingsleeve.

The boat hoist of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises avehicle of the double gantry type supported on driven steerable wheels10 at one end and on wheels rotatable on fixed axes, as shown at 11 atthe other end. The wheels 10 are journaled on axles supported in a yokeor clevis 12 which is in turn mounted for rotation about a vertical axisin the lower ends of columns 13 which form the side columns of a rearxed gantry strucure. This gantry structure is completed by a top beam 14rigidly connected at its ends to the tops of the column 13 and spanningthe space between them.

The wheels 11 are similarly journaled in yokes 15 which are rigidlysecured to the lower ends of vertical columns 16 forming the sidecolumns of a front gantry structure. This gantry structure is completedby a cross beam, indicated generally at 17, and in which a gate openingis provided.

The corresponding side beams of the two gantry structures are connectedby side rails formed by box beam sections 18 secured to the columns 13and with I-beams 19 telescopically slidable therein so that the spacingbetween the gantries can be regulated. The beams 19 can be slid more orless into the beams 18 and locked in adjusted position thereby to adjustthe spacing between the gantries. For adjustment, the front wheels 11may be locked through ratchet devices indicated generally at 21 andwhich are more particularly disclosed and claimed in our co-pendingapplication, case No. 64,247. The rear wheels 10 are power driventhrough 'hydraulic motors 22 and may be steered through steeringcylinders 23 connected to the respective yokes for the wheels to turnthem. Power for operating the motors and for operating the hoistmechanisms, to be described lhereinafter, is supplied by pump and enginecontained in an engine housing 24 secured to one of the side rails. Theengine and supply of operating fluid to the driving motors and hoistmotors, to be described hereinafter, may be controlled by an operatorfrom an operators compartment 2S, preferably mounted at one end of thevehicle, as shown.

The gantries carry hoist devices, including drums 26, from which cablesmay be wound and unwound and which are Adriven by hydraulic motors 27secured near the upper end of each of the columns 13 and 16. The hoistsare connected through cables to blocks 28 from which supporting devices,such as slings 29, can be suspended. For lifting boats slings, as shown,are preferably employed which can be slipped under opposite end portionsof the boats and connected to the hoists whereby the boat can be raisedfor transport. For other types of devices the slings might be replacedby grapples or similar mechanisms for engaging and lifting the device.

The gate structure 17 is adapted to be opened so that upwardlyprojecting parts, as the mast of a sailboat, can

pass through 4an opening in the top beam 17 when the vehicle is movedover a boat to pick it up or is moving away from the boat after havingdeposited it at a desired location. As shown, each of the columns 16 hasa short angular extension 31 extending inwardly toward the oppositecolumn with the extensions being relatively short so that an adequatespace is l'eft between their inner ends for the passage of a mast, orthe like, therebetween. Gate members in the form of eye-beams 32 arehinged to the inner ends of the extensions 31 on vertical pivots 33 toswing from aligned gate closing positions, as shown in FIG. 1, to gateopening positions,

as shown in FIG. 2, `in which the gate members extend horizontally atsubstantially right Iangles to the extensions 31. As best seen in FIG.3, each of the gate members is moved by a hydraulic motor including acylinder 34 pivoted at 35 to a bracket on the adjacent extension 31 andhaving a piston rod 36 extensible therefrom. The piston rod 36 isconnected to the intermediate point of a triangular lever 37 pivoted atone end at 38 on a fixed bracket on the adjacent extension 31. A link 39pivotally connects the opposite end of the lever 37 to a bracket 41 onthe adjacent gate member 32.

When the hydraulic cylinder 34-36 is fully extended, as shown in FIG. 3,the linkage will be swung to an over center position to move the gatemember 32 into alignment with the extension 31 and to hold it in thatposition. An adjustable stop 42 may be provided on the extension toengage the lever 37 when the gate member and extension are in alignmentthereby to hold them in accurately aligned position. Since the lever 37and link 39 constitute a locking toggle linkage, they will hold the gatemembers 32 aligned with extensions 31 without requiring maintenance ofhydraulic pressure in cylinder 34-36. To open the gate member thehydraulic cylinder is retracted or collapsed, as shown in dotted linesin FIG. 3. This will swing the lever 37 counterclockwise and through thelink 39 will swing the gate member 32 counterclockwise. Due to theconstruction of the linkage, the gate member will move to substantiallya right angle to the extension 31 so that the maximum gate opening isprovided.

In order to rigidity the gate members when they are in their alignedclosed position, a locking sleeve 43 is supported slidably on one of thegate members and is of a size to telescope over the end of the oppositegat'e member. Preferably also, as seen in FIG. 2, one of the gatemembers is formed in its extreme end with a shallow socket 44 and theopposite gate member is formed with a tapered tube 45 which will iitinto the socket. This feature further assists in assuring alignment ofthe gate members and Iin retaining them in aligned positions.

When the gate ymembers are aligned the 4sleeve 43 can be slid outwardlyof the gate member on which it is mounted to. telescope over the end `ofthe opposite gate member by a hydraulic cylinder 46. This cylinder 46,

. as well as the cylinder 34 for swinging the gate members,

can be remotely controlled by the operator from the operatorscompartment. With this construction it will be seen that when the gatemembers are moved into alignment and the locking sleeve is slid to itslocking position, the gate members will b'e securely and rigidly held intheir aligned position and will provide an extremely rigid connectionbetween the columns 16.

Preferably the sleeve 43 is held in its locking position by a latchconstruction, as shown in FIG. 4. This latch construction comprises aplate 47 which may be securely mounted on the web of the one of the gatemembers 32 over the end of which the sleeve 43 slides. A cylinder 48mounted on the web includes a piston Whose piston -rod 49 carries alatch projection 51 extending through an opening in the iange of thegate member 32 to engage in a latching opening iny the sleeve 43, as

shown in FIG. 4. A spring `'52 in the cylinder 48 normally urges thepiston therein upwardly to project the latch into its latching position,as shown. To release the latch so that the sleeve can be slid back foropening the gate, fluid under pressure is supplied through a line 53into the upper end of the cylinder 48 to force the piston downwardlytherein so that the latch is retracted and disengages the opening in thesleeve 43.

It will be seen that the several operations can be easily controlledftom the operators compartment With the fluid for operating the hoistmotors and the cylinders on the forward gantry being supplied throughliexible conduits 54, as shown in FIG. l, which extend along the siderails of the vehicle. When the side rails of the vehicle are fullyextended these conduits will lie over th'e upper surfaces thereof, butwhen they are telescoped inwardly to bring the gantries close together,the conduits will buckle upwardly, as shown, and will thereby notinterfere with entry or handling of a vehicle. To insure buckling of theconduits, hinged guide members 55 are connected to the side yrails andthe adjacent portions of the conduits.

It will be seen that by the present invention a gate opening can easilybe provided in one of the gantry structures at any desired time so thatan upwardly projecting part such as the mast of a sailboat can passtherethrough for loading or unloading. Upon completion of a loading orunloading operation the gate can be securely closed and will provide anextremely strong and rigid connection between the gantry columns so thatthe gantry structure has adequate strength for lifting and transportingloads.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described indetail, it will be understood that this is for the purpose ofillustration only and is not to be taken as a definition of the scope ofthe invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appendedclaims:

What is claimed is:

1. A boat hoist apparatus comprising a pair of spaced parallel frameside members, wheels supporting the side members for movement over theground, a fixed gantry carried by the side members adjacent to one endthereof and including a pair of upright columns connected by a top beam,hoist devices carried by the gantry adjacent to the juncture of thecolumns and top beam, a pair of up- -right columns connected to the sidemembers respectively adjacent to the other ends thereof, hoist devicescarried by the last named columns at their upper ends, a pair of gatemembers hingedly connected to the upper ends of the last named columnsrespectively for swinging from an aligned cl-osed position spanning thespace between the columns to an open position, power means controllablefrom a remote point connected to the gate members to swing them, asleeve slidably mounted on one of the gate members and slidable over theend of the other gate member to hold the gate members in alignedposition, power means controllable from a remote point to slide thesleeve, cooperating latch parts on the sleeve and said other gate memberto latch the sleeve against movement, and power means controllable froma remote point to disengage the latch parts so that the sleeve can beslid.

2. A boat hoist apparatus comprising a pair of spaced parallel frameside members, wheels supporting the side members for movement over theground, a fixed gantry carried by the side members adjacent to one endthereof and including a pair of upright columns connected by a top beam,hoist devices carried by the gantry adjacent to the juncture of thecolumns and top beam, a pair of upright columns connected to the sidemembers respectively adjacent to the other ends thereof, hoist devicescarried by the last named columns at their upper ends, a pair of gatemembers hingedly connected to the upper ends of the last named columnsrespectively for swinging from an aligned closed position spanning thespace between the columns to an open position, a rock lever hinged Onthe upper:l end of each of the last named columns on an axis parallel toand spaced from the hinge axis of the adjacent gate member, a linkconnecting each rock lever to the adjacent gate member, a power cylinderconnected to each rock lever to turn it about its axis, and a tubularsleeve slidably mounted on one of the gate members and slidable over the'end of the other gate member when the gate members are in alignedposition to hold them in alignment.

3. The boat hoist apparatus of claim 2 including adjustable stops at theupper ends of the last named columns to engage the rock levers and limitfurther turning thereof when the gate members are aligned.

4. The boat hoist apparatus of claim 2 including power means connectedto the sleeve to slide it.

5. The boat hoist apparatus of claim 4 including cooperating latch partson the sleeve and one of the gate members to latch the sleeve againstmovement, and remotely controllable means to release the latch parts sothat the sleeve can be moved.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,757,798 5/1930Grab 214-392 1,878,413 9/1932 Leb'erman 292-145 2,551,239 5/1951 Bond268-64 X 2,558,867 7/1951 May et al. 268-64 X 2,889,061 6/1959 Steam214-394 3,179,271 4/1965 Donahue 214-506 3,181,717 5/1965 Kumferman214-394 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

ALBERT J. MAKAY, Examiner.

1. A BOAT HOIST APPARATUS COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL FRAMESIDE MEMBERS, WHEELS SUPPORTING THE SIDE MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT OVER THEGROUND, A FIXED GANTRY CARRIED BY THE SIDE MEMBERS ADJACENT TO ONE ENDTHEREOF AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF UPRIGHT COLUMNS CONNECTED BY A TOP BEAM,HOIST DEVICES CARRIED BY THE GANTRY ADJACENT TO THE JUNCTURE OF THECOLUMNS AND TOP BEAM, A PAIR OF UPRIGHT COLUMNS CONNECTED TO THE SIDEMEMBERS RESPECTIVELY ADJACENT TO THE OTHER ENDS THEREOF, HOIST DEVICESCARRIED BY THE LAST NAMED COLUMNS AT THEIR UPPER ENDS, A PAIR OF GATEMEMBERS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER ENDS OF THE LAST NAMED COLUMNSRESPECTIVELY FOR SWINGING FROM AN ALIGNED CLOSED POSITION SPANNING THESPACE BETWEEN THE COLUMNS TO AN OPEN POSITION, POWER MEANS CONTROLLABLEFROM A REMOTE POINT CONNECTED TO THE GATE MEMBERS TO SWING THEM, ASLEEVE SLIDALBY MOUNTED ON ONE OF THE GATE MEMBERS AND SLIDABLY MOUNTEDON ONE OF GATE MEMBER TO HOLD THE GATE MEMBERS IN ALIGNED POSITION,POWER MEANS CONTROLLABLE FROM A REMOTE POINT TO SLIDE THE SLEEVE,COOPERATING LATCH PARTS ON THE SLEEVE AND SAID OTHER GATE MEMBER TOLATCH THE SLEEVE AGAINST MOVEMENT, AND POWER MEANS CONTROLLABLE FROM AREMOTE POINT TO DISENGAGE THE LATCH PARTS SO THAT THE SLEEVE CAN BESLID.